Apply for an apartment in one of our independent living schemes
The first part of the application will check whether you meet the criteria for independent living and will take up to 5 minutes to complete. If you appear to qualify, you will be directed to My Home Central (the Housing Register) to register and complete the full application form, which will take around 30 to 40 minutes.
You will need an email address to be able to complete the full application. If you do not have an email address you can create one for free online or could ask a trusted person such as a friend, family member or carer to use theirs.
If you are unable to complete the application form yourself, please ask a family member, friend, carer or support worker to help you. If you don’t have anyone to help you, you can book a telephone appointment to complete your application over the phone. Appointments for this service are usually booked 8 weeks ahead. To book an appointment, please contact the Housing Demand Team on 0300 300 8302.
To apply, you must:
- be age 55 or over
- for renting – have savings of less than £50,000 and income of less than £25,000 per annum
- for shared ownership – have an income of less than £80,000 per annum
Find out how to join the Housing Register.
Questions and answers about applying
When will I be notified if I qualify or not?
You can check the status of your application by logging onto the customer portal.
For new schemes, we will assess your application and contact you via letter/email nearer to the scheme opening to inform you if you initially qualify.
For existing schemes, once your application has been received, please allow at least 28 days for us to assess the application. We will send you a letter/email to confirm if you initially qualify.
How are applications assessed and prioritised?
Applications are assessed and prioritised based on your local connection, care needs and housing need. Applications for the independent living schemes are not prioritised by the date of when the application was made. This applies to both rental and shared ownership/buying schemes.
Who decides if I am going to be offered an apartment?
If you initially qualify, your application will be placed on a waiting list and presented to an allocations panel for consideration for any current or future vacancies.
Who is on the allocations panel?
The allocations panel is made up of the scheme manager, our housing / adult social care staff and the care provider manager at the scheme.
How often does the allocations panel meet?
The panel meets once a month.
Will I have to provide any documents?
For rental schemes, you will get a message saying one of the following:
- you appear to qualify for the Housing Register
- you do not qualify
- we have been unable to determine if you qualify or not
Within 10 days, you'll receive an email advising you of your application number and the next steps. If you appear to qualify, or we cannot determine if you qualify from your answers, you will be told to upload documents that we need to see. If you do not receive an email, please check your spam and junk folders.
For shared ownership in existing schemes, the home ownership team will contact you to request any information they need.
Will I automatically move up the shortlist?
No, a successful candidate is chosen for a vacancy based on their local connection, care needs, and housing need required by the scheme at that time. This applies to both rental and shared ownership/buying schemes.
What happens if I am going to be considered for an apartment?
We will be in contact to arrange an appointment to visit you, discuss your situation and to establish any care needs you may have.
This applies to both rental and shared ownership/buying schemes. For rental schemes, we may also carry out a financial assessment to ensure that the independent living scheme will meet your requirements. For ownership/buying schemes, you will be signposted to contact a financial advisor to assess your affordability.
How long will I have to wait?
We are unable to advise how long you will have to wait for an offer of an apartment. We will however, contact you every 12 months to check if you still want to be on the waiting list.
What do I do if my circumstances change?
Should your circumstances change, such as you move home or your health/care needs change, please let us know so we can re-assess your application.